How does your garden grow?

Larry Allen is ready to pick vegetables for the farmers market while standing in the middle of rows of cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes in his garden in Dickinson, N.D., on Monday morning. (Press Photo by Linda Sailer)

Larry Allen spends most of the day working in his garden at Dickinson, N.D. Protected by a wooden fence, the garden is filled with lush rows of tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables.

He considers the garden a hobby — one that allows him to sell vegetables through the Roughrider Home Growers market.

“I’m retired, what else would I do,” he said. I pick the vegetables the day before, wash and package them and put them in the refrigerators.”

He is assisted by his wife, Joyce, who helps with the cleaning.

“I started late this year because I didn’t know if I’d be here this year,” he said. “We started eating tomatoes June 22 last year.”

The farmers market offers an outlet for his vegetables.

“It isn’t so much the selling, I just enjoy giving people a chance to eat some good vegetables because you really are not making much money at the farmers’ market,” Allen said. “I’ve got to pay for city water and that isn’t cheap.”

Allen starts his tomatoes, peppers and cabbage seedlings during February in the house and moves them to a greenhouse. He saves space by using climbers for the cucumbers and beans.

He also grows nontraditional vegetables such as turnips.

“Turnips are a good vegetable — you can fry them, make French fries, anything you want,” he said.

He grows horseradish, as well as melons and squash. He also has a row of grapes.

“I make jelly with them,” he said. “This year, I might sell some because there’s a pretty good crop.”

Allen likes to experiment by creating hybrid tomatoes. He points to one tomato, which has the genetics of three varieties. The fruit turns a bright pink when ripe and will weigh up to 2 pounds.

Allen frets about the weeds, which he tries to keep under control. He waters by irrigation.